Hey Duggee: The Best Scarecrow Ever

Hey Duggee:
The Best Scarecrow Ever

Published by BBC Children's Books/Ladybird Books

If you're not familiar with this pooch, Hey Duggee is a pre-school animated series on CBeebies, featuring the voice talent of comedian and presenter Alexander Armstrong. The show follows a big friendly dog called Duggee, who runs 'The Squirrel Club' a place where kids take part in all kinds of activities, have adventures & earn activity badges all along the way. Duggee teaches the kids about being responsible, working as a team, taking acceptable risks and most importantly ... having fun! The show has a rather catchy theme tune so if you don't want this in your head for the rest of the day don't watch the trailer below!

This debut Hey Duggee picture book follows the same format of the show, with an emphasis on completing a task to earn a badge. In this story the squirrels want to grow some corn, but some sneaky birds keep stealing all the seeds! So they devise a plan to create THE BEST SCARECROW EVER! 

Much like the show, the squirrels figure out how to solve a problem with lots of laughs along the way. The book is brightly coloured and younger children and fans of the show will love the bold illustrations and eye popping text. And of course the book concludes with the squirrels earning their badge and getting the all important DUGGEE HUG! 

And if that wasn't enough Duggee fun for you, there's also a fab Squirrel Club Sticker Activity Book to get your hands on. The book is full of fun games and activities to allow your little squirrels to earn their own badges! The centre of the book is crammed with lots of fun stickers - a must for any Hey Duggee fan!

If you want to know more about the show check out the Cbeebies website and follow Duggee on twitter. Hey Duggee: The Best Scarecrow Ever and the Squirrel Club Sticker Activity Book are out now and can be bought in all good bookshops and the Ladybird website.

Tree

Tree

By Patricia Hegarty and illustrated by Britta Teckentrup
Published by Little Tiger Press

Tree is the stunning, illustrated book by the award winning illustrator Britta Teckentrup. The book explores the beauty of the changing seasons shown by following the life cycle of a tree. 

It starts in winter, and we see Owl watching from his home, high in the trunk of a tree. Snow is falling and the trees are bare but with Spring on the way, the ice begins to melt and bear cubs begin to play. Blossom begins to fall, leaves are growing and squirrels scamper all over the tree. The forest is now abloom with flowers and summer is on it’s way with the tree now filled with birds singing (more animals are joining Owl in his tree). Its summer time now and bees are humming.

It starts to get cooler and apples tumble to the ground. The autumn leaves turn red and gold and nights are getting cold. It isn’t long before Winter returns when the North wind begins to blow and brings the snow. Once again Owl is left alone in his tree but he has seen it all before.

Tree has die-cuts on ever page and creates a layered effect throughout the book, allowing animals to appear on the tree as the seasons change. There is a hole showing Owl, starting with the cover and throughout the whole picture book, this makes it look like Owl is looking out from his home, a hole in the trunk. The illustrations are truly lovely within the book, and the pages are filled with lots of activity for children to explore. There is so much to discover in the backgrounds and in the trees and the beautiful illustrations work really well with the lyrical rhyming text.

This book is recommended for ages 3-5 and would make a lovely gift for any child. It would also make a great first introduction in learning about the seasons and how they may affect nature and the trees around us. This peek-through picture book will be available from the 10th September, available in all good bookshops or online here.

Katie McGinty Wants a Pet!

Katie McGinty Wants a Pet!

By Jenna Harrington and illustrated by Finn Simpson
Published by Little Tiger Press

Jenna Harrington’s debut book, Katie McGinty Wants a Pet! will resonate with any child who has ever wanted a pet and for any parents who have been nagged for one! This debut book is funny and concerns a little girl wanting a very unusual pet though the front cover does give it away.

Katie McGinty desperately wants a pet, more than anything in the whole wide world. Finally she's big enough and drags her Daddy, excitedly, to the pet shop. Her Daddy wants to know what kind of pet she wants and suggests normal pets, such as a hamster, or a cat, or even a little dog like granny’s, but no, no, no, that’s not what Katie McGinty wants at all. What Katie McGinty wants more than anything is a ZEBRA! 

Katie’s Daddy shakes his head in disbelief and explains to Katie that they can’t have a zebra because they live in Africa where it’s hot and it’s far too cold here. But Katie has it all thought out and replies that Granny can knit the zebra a warm, wooly jumper and he can wear Mummy’s ski boots. Daddy doesn’t think they can buy a zebra in a pet shop and asks Katie what they would feed him, where would he sleep and how would they wash him, as they have too small a garden and he can’t sleep in the shed.. but Katie has thought this through and replies that the Zebra will eat their dinner; fish fingers and spaghetti with them at the table. He will sleep in her bunk bed and she knows he won’t fit in the bath but she can wash him at the swimming pool. 

When they reach the pet shop, Katie’s Daddy explains that he knows she really, really wants a zebra but they just can’t have one… However we notice that on the pet shop window are signs that read "special sale", and when they exit the pet shop, they exit with not just one zebra but two zebras!! Lucky Katie, it was a buy one zebra, get one free day!

Katie McGinty Wants a Pet! is a funny and fantastical tale about wanting a pet. It’s filled with lovely, warm and fun illustrations with a charming feel to the book. Jenna Harrington has captured the characteristics of children so well, as children always have an answer for everything and especially when they want something very much. This book is recommend for ages 3+ and is perfect for any animal loving child. Available in all good bookshops and online here.

No More Cuddles!

No More Cuddles!

By Jane Chapman
Published by Little Tiger Press

I would imagine that everyone likes a hug now and then, but Barry, an adorable soft and fluffy Bigfoot, is constantly smothered in cuddles and would just like to be left alone. From the best-selling and very talented author and illustrator Jane Chapman, No More Cuddles! Is out now.

Barry lived deep in the forest and enjoyed strolling about on his own and listening to the birds, but he was never alone for long. Every morning, Barry would be smothered in cuddles by all of the woodland animals. Barry is fed up being smoothed and stroked all the time. He tries a disguise but the animals see through it straight away and when he puts on an angry face, well the animals think he needs an extra big cuddle. 

Barry has a plan and paints a huge sign - WANTED: comforting creature for cosy cuddles. Could this be you? Lots of animals turn up, but none of them are right for the job, they are either too tiny, too stinky or too spiky - that's until Barry finds Bear. Bear is perfect and when Barry calls the animals to see if they want a hug, he thinks they will run to Bear, but instead they run straight pass Bear and rush to Barry. The animals all throw themselves at Barry, who wibbled and wobbled and then went SPLAT! They had fallen straight into a yucky swamp. Barry is no longer fluffy and snuggly and they soon hop off to get clean…leaving Barry finally all by himself!

Jane Chapman has created a very sweet but funny picture book about a lovable monster who has just had enough of hugs. The illustrations are big and captures Barry as very huggable - I wouldn’t mind a hug from Barry! I especially love the rabbits, poor Barry, he never gets a break from them.

If you didn’t already know, Jane Chapman is married to Tim Warnes, illustrator of the recently reviewed More! These are two very talented people. I definitely recommend checking out their website as there’s lots of fun stuff to do and download.

No More Cuddles! is recommended for ages 3+ and children will love Barry and his attempts to find a little peace and quiet. Available in all good book shops and online here.

More!

More!

By Tracey Corderoy and Illustrated Tim Warnes
Published by Little Tiger Press

There’s some great picture books coming out from Tiger Press this month and next, Tracey Corderoy and Tim Warnes have just brought out another Archie book called MORE! A great sequel to No! and Why? I was lucky enough to meet Tracey and Tim at a recent Tiger Press event and it was great to chat about the book progress as well as letting Aoife dress her own little Archie. This is the perfect tale for families with strong-willed toddlers who just want More!

Meet Archie, a busy little rhino. When Archie is playing, he has to have more rockets, more platforms and more towers until CRASH! It doesn’t stop Archie from wanting more slices of cake, and finishing the whole thing or at bed time, wanting more story time. Whatever Archie liked, he liked it a lot and wanted more, more and more! 

So when Archie is invited to a fancy dress party, he plans to make the best costume ever with more streamers and more glitter than anyone else. Archie’s costume sure wows everyone but having the biggest costume means Archie can’t catch up with everyone running around. He can’t bounce like everyone else and is just too big to join in and get birthday cake. Archie soon becomes stuck and it’s up to his friends to help him out. In this case maybe “more” was too much except when it comes to having more friends!

It’s great to meet Archie again and Tracey Corderoy has sure captured the antics of a strong willed toddler - parents and little ones will be able to relate. Tim Warnes’ illustrations work fantastically with Tracey Corderoy’s text, they are hilariously funny and Archie is adorably cute even when wanting more and more.

More! is a great sequel to No! and Why? I can’t wait to see what is next from Archie! More! is available in all good bookshops and online here.

Whatever Happened to My Sister?

Whatever Happened to My Sister?

By Simona Ciraolo
Published by Flying Eye Books

There's always the odd picture book that comes along that stops and makes you think. Whatever happened to my sister? does just that (along with pulling those heartstrings!) This is Simona Ciraolo's second book for Flying Eye, with her debut being the charming Hug Me.  

Whatever happened to my sister? is just as heart warming as her debut, and with what seems like a slight change in her illustration style, this book is absolutely beautiful from start to finish. It tells the story of a a younger sister convinced that her older sister has been replaced by a lookalike. Her sister no longer wants to play picnics, go trick or treating, or skip and hullahoop in the garden. Instead she just locks herself away in her bedroom and hangs out with her friends - who are mostly boys! Will she ever get back the sister she once had so many fun times with?

Simona Ciraolo's illustrations are delightful, capturing each scene perfectly. She uses a warm colour palette throughout and I get the sense of warm summer days which remind me of those summer holidays when I was growing up. 

I have to confess that I teared up when the younger sister is going through old photographs. Simona captures the love between two sisters so beautifully and it makes you wish that no one should ever have to grow up or get old!

All in all this is a perfect way to introduce young children to growing up and the changes their older siblings may be going through. Whatever happened to my sister? hits bookshops this August. More information can be found on the Flying Eye Books website.

How Many Legs?

How Many Legs?

By Katja Spitzer
Published by Flying Eye Books

I love this beautiful little counting book. It has this gorgeous retro feel and reminds me of the smaller books I used to read when I was a child. As always, Flying Eye Books have presented this new title as a lovely small hardback, and it simply feels like a piece of art.

How Many Legs? is the perfect introduction of numbers to young children. The book is made up of two parts; the first part teaches the reader to count up to ten. This is done graphically, using bold numbers and Katja's retro style illustrations. You'll find 1 Unicorn, 3 ice creams, 6 robots and 8 legs (attached to a stylish looking spider in his web). 

The second part of the book carries on to encourage the reader to flex their new found counting abilities and answer how many cowboys or How many scary Monsters? An inventive choice to help children learn in an entertaining way.

Katja's illustrations are reminiscent of the type of illustrations I grew up with, with a use of a limited colour palette which makes this little book retro chic! Even the pages have a vintage feel to them, and the layout of the text and illustrations just brings old memories flooding back. 

This is surely the perfect addition to any future budding mathematicians out there, and an absolute joy to flick through time and time again. How Many Legs? Is out this August, for more information visit the Flying Eye Books website.